In need of some pointers!!

i am not a flightnurse (yet ) but ill be a graduate nurse soon and like yourself, was looking for the right way to get experiences that would make me more attractive to employers. i think its a great idea to get your paramedic, because it will give you an idea of what its like to work in the field and get used to the types of patients, assessments, and critical thinking on your toes. i have been told by a few of my flight nurse friends that working in icu is really the way to go because you have more exposure to things like ventilators, transducers, multiple lines/drips. things like that. i think getting an msn is a great idea as well, and its always good to have a solid education, however i think solid critical care experience would be the greater benefit.

good luck!

[h=3]job requirements of a flight nurse....a job description.
http://www.lzontheweb.com/pdfs/life ...ight nurse.pdf

role of the flight nurse

rns that make it onto a plane or rescue helicopter have earned some serious stripes in the nursing industry. these are not jobs open to new grads still wet behind the ears from nursing school. you might imagine the level of expertise and preparedness it could take to win a spot on a flight team….

flight nurses are a sub-specialty of trauma nurse that take emergency care to the skies. it’s like a super-charged emt but with even more aggressive patient care tactics. flight crews are common at large trauma hospitals where flight teams respond to accidents, disasters, and transport critically ill patients sometimes over hundreds of miles, or far beyond the ground an ambulance could respond to. the goal of each mission: to triage, stabilize and transport as many victims as possible to a medical center able to more adequately handle these types of incidents.

nursing school programs for flight nurses[/h]flight nursing, in and of itself, is not packaged into any formal nursing school degree. however there is a logical educational and professional track to follow in nursing that could put you squarely in contention for such a job should you prove the mettle.

first, most flight nurses are expected to earn an msn or bsn at the least. almost a requirement is experience in emergency nursing—ed or trauma unit. critical care nurses are often considered as well. in the ed you gain the know-how necessary to manage a constantly changing patient ebb and flow where a wide variety of mild conditions to life-threatening traumas can exist in tandem. in an ed rns learn to sink or swim, to fly by the seat of their pants and make split-second life-changing decisions based on excellent nursing judgment and attention to patient care and safety.

if you can do this successfully for a few years then you may be ready to compete for a flight nurse job. “compete,” is the operative term. flight nurse job positions are limited and not available everywhere. furthermore flight nurses are seriously committed to their jobs, so there is hardly a glut of openings. you’ll have to pursue a job at a large level i or ii trauma center most likely.

the key to landing a flight nurse job: the more advanced and trauma-targeted your training, the better.
further certification requirements. you can help advance your qualifications with membership in the emergency nurses association (ena) and by opting to take the certified flight rn exam. other possible certifications and qualifications include:

• emt certification
• various life support certifications—neonate, pediatric, geriatric, etc.
• disaster management certification

on the job training for flight nurses ensures new job candidates are skilled with specialized flight equipment and understand the scope of practice in this ultra-specialized environment. prospective rn flight nurses may be required to complete in-flight clinical hours to meet job prerequisites, as well.

flight nurse requirements
flight nursing: nurse-recruiter.com

this site will interest you.

air & surface transport nurse association (astna)

president's message

welcome to the air & surface transport nurse association (astna) website. we are the professional organization for flight nurses and ground critical care nurses for both adults and pediatrics. if you are already a member, please sign into the member only website. if you cannot remember your log in information, email astna@gwami.com. if you are exploring our site for the first time or are looking for information regarding astna and/or flight or critical care transport nursing, please feel free to explore this website.

astna | air and surface transport nurses association

ucan university of chicago aeromedical network my personal favourite

job summary provides high level patient care to the critically ill, or injured, neonatal, pediatric, and adult patients from the scene of injury, or who require inter-hospital transfer. maintains the safest possible transport environment for him/herself, the patient, fellow ucan personnel, and others who may come into contact with ucan. provides education regarding ucan, uch services, as well as medical/nursing critical care certification courses for both the internal uch and external referring medical communities.
qualifications/requirement

• current illinois licensure as a registered nurse.
• bachelor’s degree preferred, although equivalent previous experience as a flight nurse will substitute.
• a minimum of three to five years of professional nursing experience in a critical care/emergency setting.
• previous flight nurse, pediatric and/or neonatal experience preferred.
• bls, acls, pals, nrp, tns or tncc, enpc, phtls, or btls required at time of hire, or within 6 months of employment.
• tnatc, cen, ccrn, cfrn, micn/ecrn preferred.
• strong verbal and written communication skills required.
  
  flight nurse careers & jobs | university of chicago aeromedical network (ucan) 1-800-621-7827 | chicago, il

flight nurse stat medevac pittsburgh,pa

requirements:
· no taller than 6’2”
· must weigh less than 210 lbs at time of interview, and never exceed that weight during term of employment
· current pennsylvania prehospital registered nurse (phrn) certification
» for more information visit www.emsi.org
» under ems education, select certifications
· current rn license in your home state
· minimum three (3) years’ experience as a rn at the critical care level; ed, icu/ccu, pacu, or, etc.
· current health professional cpr certification

license/certification requirements
within 90-days of hire -- paramedics:
· pennsylvania and ohio paramedic certification required
· pennsylvania and maryland paramedic certification required
· additionally, district of columbia paramedic license also required

within 90-days of hire – nurses:
· pennsylvania and ohio rn license for all bases
· pennsylvania, maryland, delaware, and district of columbia rn license required

required of all flight paramedics and nurses within 90-days of hire:
· advanced cardiac life support (acls)
· pediatric advanced life support (pals)
· international trauma life support (itls) or equivalent (phtls, tncc, atls)
· neonatal resuscitation program (nrp)
· valid passport

within 2-years of hire:
· paramedic: flight paramedic certification (fp-c)
· nurse: certified flight registered nurse (cfrn)

stat medevac - qualifications

i would work on your rn. eventually you will have to get your emt-p. try to associate yourself with facilities that have flight crews. a focus on all areas of critical care, and all ages as well as a focus on emergency medicine. it's a great job! but very difficult to get into.

You do not have to be a paramedic in most states. I also want to do flight and am working in ICU. After a year or two in ICU i plan on working ER with per diem ICU. Should be able to competitively apply after a few years.